A portion of the disclosure of this patent document and its figures contain material subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, but the copyright owner otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to hand tools and, more particularly, to combined wrenches and screwdrivers.
2. Description of the Related Art
The 216-Type tool is very common in the telecommunications industry. The 216-Type tool is commonly called a xe2x80x9ccan wrenchxe2x80x9d and is a dual-purpose wrench. The tool is used to access communications terminals, and the tool has a thin-walled socket wrench on each end. The 216-Type tool typically has a {fraction (7/16)}-inch socket at one end and a xe2x85x9c-inch socket at an opposite end. Some terminal enclosures require the thin-walled {fraction (7/16)} socket wrench, while other terminal enclosures require the thin-walled xe2x85x9c socket wrench. This single tool, then, conveniently functions as two essential tools for accessing and for servicing communications terminals.
Even though the 216-Type can wrench is convenient, more tools are often required when accessing and servicing communications terminals. Many communications terminals, for example, require a screwdriver and/or a nut driver during access and service. There is, accordingly, a need for an improved tool that allows access to communications terminals, and a need for improved multipurpose tool that can be used during service of communications terminals.
The aforementioned problems, and other problems, are reduced by a multipurpose tool. This invention is multiple, separate tools that are packaged as a single hand tool. This tool is especially designed for single-handed operation. One embodiment of this tool has an elongate handle with a socket at each end. A screwdriver may be extended from within each socket. A Phillips-head screwdriver, for example, may be extended and protrude beyond one socket, while a flat-head screwdriver may be extended from within the other socket. Because the sockets are preferably of different sizes, the sockets and the screwdrivers allow the handle to be used as four (4) different tools.
One embodiment of this invention describes a hand tool. An elongate handle defines a longitudinal axis, and the elongate handle has a first end and a second end. The handle also has a longitudinal bore extending from the first end to the second end. A first socket longitudinally extends from the first end of the handle, and the first socket has a polygonally-shaped interior cross-section. A second socket longitudinally extends from the second end of the handle, and the second socket also has a polygonally-shaped interior cross-section. The interior cross-section of the first socket is of a different size than the interior cross-section of the second socket. An elongate shank is disposed in the longitudinal bore of the handle, and the shank moves within the longitudinal bore. The shank has a screwdriver bit at one end and a security wrench at an opposite end. The security wrench is used for engaging a fastener at a demarcation point of a telecommunications network. The elongated shank has at least a first position and a second position. The first position outwardly extends the screwdriver bit beyond the first socket, and the second position outwardly extends the security wrench beyond the second socket.
Another embodiment of this invention also describes a 4-in-1 hand tool. This embodiment also has an elongate handle defining a longitudinal axis. The elongate handle has a first square drive at a first end and a second square drive at a second end. The first square drive and the second square drive are for attaching conventional sockets, extensions, and other tools. The elongate handle also has a longitudinal bore extending from the first end to the second end. An elongate shank is disposed in the longitudinal bore of the handle, and the shank moves within the longitudinal bore. The shank has a screwdriver bit at one end, and the shank has at least a first position and a second position. The first position extends the screwdriver bit and the second position retracts the screwdriver bit.